As a new venture for Rockstar, Grand Theft Auto Online will set out to accomplish what no other GTA game has done. While GTA IV allowed players to play with or against each other on the main story’s single Liberty City map in a variety of set multiplayer gameplay modes such as Deathmatch and Racing, GTA Online will give up to 16 players even more freedom.

While not officially calling itself a game in that genre, much like massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPGs) like World of Warcraft and Guild Wars 2, GTA Online‘s in-game world will continually updated and expanded with new content including additional missions. Players can take on jobs, pull off bank heists, play golf, watch a movie, or race. Or of course, if they get bored of all that, they can simply enjoy the criminal freedom to go nuts and destroy everything in sight.

Now, aside from the in-game ability to shape the experience by buying and customizing digs, cars and weapons, Rockstar is encouraging players to help decide the content that makes it into the game world with each successive update through email or feedback on the GTA Online forums at Rockstar Social Club.

GTA Online will launch officially on October 1, but until then, have a detailed look at some of what Rockstar has in store for players through its official release.